Vault-closure.



F. F. UNCKRICH. VAULT CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29. 1915.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Attorney im/p F. F. UNCKHICH.

VAULT CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED on. 29 1915.

Patent-ed May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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WITNESSES:

Azfomey THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH .co.. WASHINGTON. D. cv

TTWTTF @TATFd PATENT @FFTFF.

FERDINAND F. UNCKRICH, OF GALION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL GRAVE VAULT (10., F GALION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VAULT-CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed October 29, 1915. Serial No. 58,623.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND F. UNCE- nrorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful VaultClosure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to vault closures and is an improvement upon the vault closures disclosed in Letters Patent No. 872,864, granted to me December 3, 1907, and Letters Patent No. 959,406, granted to me May 24, 1910.

The vault closures described in said Letters Patents have to do with a door structure having radially movable lock bolts with a common centralized manipulating means capable of operation in a manner to cause the compression of the closure against ledges at the margins of the opening to produce a hermetic sealing of the door in the mouth of the vault, and such closing and sealing of the vault is performed whether or not it be desirable to render the closure permanent.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the lock-bolt manipulating means whereby the number of parts are reduced and the use of springs is in most part eliminated.

In accordance with the present invention the door is arranged exterior to the vault and the lock bolts are mounted on the inner face of the door in a manner to engage a locking ledge about but interior to the mouth of the vault, the lock bolts being capable of sliding movement radially of the door and of rocking movement with respect to the door. At a mid point of the door there is provided a rotatable cam structure connecting the adjacent portions of the lock bolts for the simultaneous actuation of the bolts. The cam structure is mounted on a screw spindle adapted to rotate the cam structure and also to propel it toward and from the corresponding face of the door to rock the lock bolts, the rotation of the cam structure effecting the projection and retraction of the bolts. These movements are caused by the rotation of the lock spindle in one direction, means being provided whereby a partial rotation of the cam memher by and with the spindle brings about the projection of the lock bolts and a continued rotation of the spindle in the same direction,

but with the cam member held against rotation, brings about the hermetic sealing of the door by rocking the lock bolts on fulcrum supports.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the further under standing that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a cross-section of a vault showing the door closed and in elevation, with the door viewed from the interior of the vault and the lock bolts retracted. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 wlth some parts broken away and other parts omitted and with the lock bolts projected into locking position. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 83 of Fig. 1 but drawn'on a larger scale. Fig. 4C is a section similar to that of Fig. 3 except that the lock bolts are in the projected position, and the cam structure has been actuated to hermetically seal the door. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. '5 but showing a different position of the parts. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. '8 is a perspective view of a latch bolt. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a fragment of one of the lock bolts, the showing being of that end of the lock bolt engaged by the cam.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a grave vault 1 of a size to receive a burial casket, the grave vault being customarily made of metal of sheet form similar in size and shape to the boxes into which burial caskets are usually placed. The burial vault 1 has a mouth opening at one end surrounded by a frame or flange 2. and n0r mally closed by a door 3 connected by a hinge 4: to the body portion 1 of the vault, so that the door may be moved into position against the ledge 2 to thereby form a closure for the mouth of the vault.

Mounted at the central portion of the door and projecting therethrough is a spindle 5 having that end exposed at the exterior of the door squared, as shown at 6, or otherwise appropriately shaped for the application of a manipulating tool, such as a socket wrench or the like. The other end of the spindle 5 is screw threaded, as shown at 7. The spindle adjacent to the squared end 6 is of circular conformation, as shown at 8, fitting a circular passage 9 through the door, so that the spindle may be rotated about its longitudinal axis. On the side of the rounded portion 8 remote from the squared portion 6 of the spindle the latter is formed with a shoulder 10 adapted to bear against .the

inner face of the door, the spindlebeing held to the door by a cotter pin 11 or other suit- 1 ablemeans' engaging'the outer face of the door. Between the shoulder 10 and the screw threaded portion 7 of the spindle said spindle is formedwith an annular flange 12 having a beveled periphery 13 and at suitable points the beveled periphery is provided with ratchet teeth 14. There is also-provided a circular'cam structure 15 provided with a. central hub 16 having a threaded axial bore for the screw end 7 of the spindle 5, which screw end in the particular showing of the drawings is provided with left hand threads, so that on turning the spindle to the rightthe tendency is to move the cam structure or cam block 15 away from seating en gagement with the flange 12, the latter then entering an annular recess 17 on that face of the cam block 15 toward the door 3. Sur-' rounding the recess 17 is a flange 18in mo part concentric with the center of thecara block, while about the periphery of the cam each slot has a curved portion 23 in most part concentric with the curvature of the end 22 of the slot and terminating-in a part 24 parallel with the tangential p ortion of the slot. Each slot has its curved end 22 adjacent to the peripheral portion of the cam block or disk 15, while the tangential portion extendsto the opposite side of a radius of the block perpendicular to said tangential portion. v

The hub part 16 is thickened to extend axially beyond that face of the cam disk or block remote from the door and there has tangential shoulders 25 corresponding to the tangential walls 21 of the slots 20. Each shoulder 25 is in the particular showing of the drawings perpendicular to the neighboringshoulders and each terminates at one end in a cam lobe 26 forming a shoulder 27 where projecting beyond the next shoulder25 in order. One of the cam lobes 26 is formed purpose to skeleton form and generally triangular in outline.

The base portion of each lock bolt is of an extent approximating the corresponding side of the mouth of the vault, it being understood that the vault is usually of approximately square cross-section with the top of the vault slightly crowned. The basic portion of each lock bolt 29 is formed .with spaced lugs or fingers 30 adapted to underride holding members 31 secured to the door at appropriate points on its inner face near the margins of the door. .The tongues 30 are of such length that when the lock bolts are retracted they will be within the area defined by the inner margin. of the flange 2 and when projected these tongues engage the inner face of the flange 2. The inner or smaller end of each triangular lock bolt formed into a cam lobe 32 having a shoulder 33 atone side and on the face of this lobe toward the cam disk 15 it carries a pin 34- of a length to enter a respective one of the cam slots 20. Each lobe 32 is adapted to engage that face of the cam disk 15 remote from the door and is held in engagement therewith by a retaining plate 35 held to the outer face of the hub 16 by screws 36 or in any other appropriate manner. The marginal portion of the disk15 on that face engaged by the lobes 32 is rounded, as indicated at 37.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the lock bolts are retracted and are substantially parallel with the inner face of the door: In this. condition of the parts the cam disk 15 is at its position of close approach to the door and the flange 12 is seated in the recess 17. Oneportion of the cam disk 15 on the face adjacent to the door has a thickened part 38in which is formed a radially elongated recess 39 constituting a seat for a latch bolt 40 shown separately in Fig. 8. This latch bolt may be quite flat throughout the greater portion ofits length with one end beveled to form a latch tooth 41 which when entering the recess 17 engages some one of the teeth 14. The other end of the latch bolt has a laterally offset nose 42 which along one edge is beveled, as shown at 43. The recess 39 is continuedat the outer end through the disk 15, thereby forming a passageway 44 into which the nose 42 projects in the path of one of the pins 34 when the latter is in the curved end of the respective cam slot 20. The latch bolt is under the normal control of a spring 45 housed in a lateral extension of the recess 39 and both the springand latch bolt 40 are held in the recess by a cover plate 46. Thevtendency of the spring 45, one end of which is lodged in a notch 47 in the latch bolt, is to move the toothed end 41 of the latchbolt into engagement with some one of the teeth 14. When, however, a pin 34 engages the beveled edge 43 of the nose 42 the latch bolt is moved against the action of the spring 45 until disengaged from a tooth 14. Then the latch bolt is in engagement with a ratchet tooth .14 the spindle 5 is held against rotation, but when the latch bolt is moved out of engagement with the ratchet tooth 14 the spindle 5 may be rotated. If the threaded end 7 of the spindle be screwed into the cam disk 15 until the flange 12 engages the disk, then any movement of the spindle in a direction to screw the spindle further into the disk only results in turning the disk with the spindle. Any turning movement of the spindle in the opposite direction is prevented by the latch bolt 40 then engaging some one of the teeth 14 by its toothed end 41.

When the lock bolts 29 are in the retracted position the door 3 may be freely opened, the casket may be introduced into the vault and the door again closed. Now, by the application of a suitable tool to the square end 6 of the spindle 5 and turning the spindle in the proper direction, which may be a clockwise direction, the tendency of the screw threadedend of the spindle is to unscrew from the disk, which would result in moving the disk away from the inner face of the door. Movement of the spindle independently of the disk is however prevented by the latch bolt 40, which at this time has its end 41 in engagement with a tooth 14, so that the disk is constrained to rotate with the spindle. The rotative movement of the disk with the spindle continues until the pins 34, which in the retracted position of the lock bolts are in the tangential portions of the slots 20, reach the outer curved portions thereof, this movement re sulting in the projection of the lock bolts into engagement with the flange 2. As soon as the pin 34 in that slot 20 connecting with the passage 44 reaches the beveled edge 43 of the nose 42, the latch is withdrawn from the tooth 14 with which it was in engagement, thus disconnecting the disk 15 from the spindle 5. Now the spindle is free to continue its rotation without carrying the cam disk 15 with it and under these circumstances the screw-threaded end 7 of the spindle tends to unscrew from the disk 15,

thus propelling the latter along the spindle' away from the inner face of the door 3. This causes a similar movement of the inner ends of the lock bolts from the inner face of the door 3, but as the outer ends of these bolts are held by the pins 31, the lock bolts fulcrum on the pins, so that the outer ends of the fingers 30 bear against the inner face of the flange 2 and cause the movement ofthe door 3 into firm engagement with the outer face of the flange 2. By introducing a packing gasket 47 between the door and the flange 2 the door may be hermetically sealed where seated against the flange. The pressure of the lock bolts against the cam disk is transmitted through the spindle in a direction to press the shoulder 10 in firm engagement with the inner face of the door, thus providing a seal about the passage 9. The door is thus hermetically sealed and the locking and sealing is performed by a continuous movement of the manipulating tool in one direction.

If for any reason it should be desired to gain access to the interior of the vault, this may be done by turning the spindle in the opposite direction to that first described, whereupon a reversal of the operations takes place and the door is finally unlocked.

If it be desired to make the door burglar proof, in which case the closure is permanent, the notch or recess 28 may be utilized. All that is necessary is to provide a latch bolt which may be spring-actuated to move into the recess when the cam member or disk is turned so as to project the bolts, and in such case the cam disk is locked against return rotation under any circumstances short of the application of destructive forces. When the cam disk is locked against rotation in either direction after having projected thelock bolts the door cannot be opened even though the sealing pressure be relieved.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A vault closure, comprising a door adapted to seat against the door frame, lock bolts carried by the door, an actuating member for the lock bolts having came for engaging the lock bolts to project them and also provided with cam slots, the lock bolts having means entering the cam slots for the retraction of the lock bolts by the cam slots, an accessible manipulating means for the actuating member, and means responsive to movements of the lock bolts to couple the manipulating and actuating members for simultaneous movement to project the lock bolts and for then uncoupling them to permit actuation of the actuating member in a direction to clamp the lock bolts.

7 2. A vault closure comprising a door adapted to seat against the door frame, lock bolts carried by the door, an actuating member for the lock bolts having a movement to project the bolts and a different movement to clamp the bolts against the frame, accessible manipulating means for the actuating member, and means responsive to movements of the lock bolts to couple the manipulating and actuating members for simultaneous movement to project the lock bolts and for uncoupling them to permit actuationjof the actuating member in the second named direction to clamp the lock bolts, said last-named means comprising a radially 'movable latch bolt carried by the actuating member, and means on one of the lock bolts for engaging the latch bolt to move it radially at the termination of the projecting movement of the lock bolt.

3. A vault closure comprising a door adapted to seat against the door frame, radially movable lock bolts carried by the door, a rotatable actuating member for the lock bolts having a movement to project said bolts and a difle'rent movement to clamp the bolts against the frame, accessible manipulating means for the actuating member, and a radially movable latch bolt carried by the actuating member for coupling the manipulating member and the actuating member together, said latch bolt having a beveled offset portion and one of the lock bolts-having a pin movable on the projec tion of the lock bolt into engagement with the beveled portion to move the latch bolt radially to the unlatched position. 4. A vault closure 1 comprising a door I adapted to seat against the door frame, lock bolts carried by vthe door, a rotatable and axially movable cam member adapted to engage the inner ends of the lock bolts to project said lock bolts, and also provided with camslots, thebolts having pins entering the cam slots, a screw spindle extending through 'the door and engaging the cam member to move'it axially, and a radially movable latch mounted on the cammember with the latch and spindle having coacting portions for coupling the spindle and cam member together, and said latch being located in the path of the pin on one of the lock bolts with said portion of the latch co-' actively related to the pin for movement of the latch out of engaging relation with in the promember with said latch means and the v Copies ofthls patent may be obtained'for spindle having coacting portions for coupling the spindle and cam member together, and said latch means and one of the lock bolts having coactingparts for the movement of the latch means out of engaging relation to the spindle when the lock bolt is inthe projected position.

6. A vault closure, comprising, a door adapted to seat against a door frame, lock bolts carried by the door, a rotatable cam member having cam slots and cam shoulders with the lock bolts having parts entering the cam slots and other parts engaged by the cam shoulders, a screw spindle extending through the cam member for moving said cam member axially by rotative movements of the spindle to cause clamping of the lock bolts against the door frame, and a latch carried by the cam member for coupling the spindle and member to cause rotative movements of the member with the spindle, said latch and one of the lock bolts having coacting portions for causing the uncoupling of the spindle and cam member when the lock bolt is in the projected position.

7. A vault closure, comprising a door adapted to seat against a door frame, lock bolts carried bythe door, a rotatable and axially movable cam'member having cam slots and cam shoulders, with the lock bolts provided with projecting portions entering the cam slots and shoulders engaged by 'the cam shoulders of the cam member for the positive projection and retraction of the lock bolts, a latch bolt carried by the cam member with a nose in the path of a projection of one of the lock bolts to be retracted by said. lock bolt when the latter is in the projected position, and a 1nanipulating member extending through the door into accessible position and provided with a threaded portion threaded through the cam member to cause axial movements of the latter by rotative movements of the spindle, said spindle being also provided with a ratchet member in the path of the latch for coupling the spindle and cam member together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND 1 UNCKRIGH.

VVitness'es:

H. MCLAUGHLIN, M. G. GRAHAM.

five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. Q." 

